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Al_Smith
climber
San Francisco, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 24, 2013 - 02:29pm PT
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So, while I hate to be a purveyor of any kind of negativity, I must relate this story from last weekend, as venting may help cool down my otherwise white hot anger at the incident in question...
We finished climbing in scorching heat at around 2 pm last Saturday and went down to the El Cap Bridge to cool ourselves with an ice cold dip in the Merced.
After swimming and checking the depth below the bridge, I went up to the bridge and as I was about to climb over the railing and jump from the big wood pylons into the river, three rangers approached and asked me if I was about to jump. I asked, 'Why, is it against the rules.' To which one the rangers angrily replied, 'It's illegal! Have you already been jumping off?' I said, 'Well not to incriminate myself, but while I haven't jumped off yet today I've been doing so frequently for years and if its illegal a sign ought to be posted to that effect.' This resulted in him stepping up and getting into my face and telling me not to even think about doing it ever again. I apologized and said I'd follow that directive to which he stuck a big thumbs-up inches from my face. As an ex-Division One College Wrestler and law abiding citizen, this really got me steaming mad and I'm not going to lie...I almost lunged at the guy. A momentary fantasy of me knocking all three ranger's off the bridge and into the water flickered through my mind. But of course, I did not do this, nor would I ever assault an LEO or anyone else for that matter..
I decided to walk back down and rejoin my companions and just cool off. Moments later however, the rangers came down along the bank and yanking a rope swing out of the hands of an 11 year old, cut the cord leaving the remainder of the rope as mank hanging from the tree far out of reach.
They then begin to interrogate a half dozen or so kids whose ages ranged from approximately 8-12, demanding to know who had been jumping from the bridge and using the rope swing.
The swing was approximately 4 feet above 5-8 feet deep water with no dangerous impediments or other inherent risks.
The kids were shocked and the sad and confused looks on their faces perfectly captured the shock and disgust any normal adult would have at such as scene.
The Rangers seemed to send the following message to the children present:
1) It's not ok to recreate in nature, especially not in our National Parks. To avoid censure or trouble, its better to just go back to playing video games, watching TV, or playing with the smart phones they are all too young to have.
2) It's ok to trad climb, do A4 walls, hike up the Half Dome cables, and go scrambling up Class 3 and 4 gullies. But it is not ok to assess the dangers of swimming and jumping or swinging into the Merced River.
3) It's ok for Rangers to adopt a hostile attitude with children when the children don't know what they are doing is wrong.
4) It's ok for Rangers to question children without a legal guardian present.
I mean...what kind of adult, what kind of person, becomes a Park Ranger in the crown jewel of the Park system only to:
a) harass children and refuse to allow them to recreate and have fun in a natural setting
b) leave un-usable mank hanging from a tree (effectively turning something useful into litter and then leaving the garbage...as someone who has participated in three Facelift's and who always picks up garbage as I find it along trails, at the base of climbs, etc I find that act alone to be despicable. That some a-hole would lecture me and act condescending that I'd even think to jump into the Merced when its 105 degrees out and then that same a-hole turns around and leaves garbage in the Park is beyond comprehension!)
Anyway, sorry for the long rant...but that event really was one of the least productive citizen/Ranger interactions and also one of the biggest acts of cowardice I've ever seen. Shame on those three. I hope they felt really big and tough after harassing those kids. At least that way, somebody would have gotten something out of it...
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Jul 24, 2013 - 02:33pm PT
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Ya know, these 'tooled by Rangers' threads have become about as ubiquitous as 'Dogs at the Crags' threads lately.
Not agreeing or disagreeing...just sayin'.
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briham89
Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
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Jul 24, 2013 - 02:41pm PT
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I've seen this at the bridge as well.....very lame. Man I hate tool rangers.
The thing is they don't have to be this way either...
I was unpacking my haul bag in the Ahwahnee parking lot after climbing the column (with my shirt off and looking pretty dirty after a wall) and a ranger slowly pulled up behind me in his car. I was thinking great here we go again. He stopped, paused for a second, looked at me and said, "how did it go". I said, "awesome". He smiled said cool and then drove away.... So there is at least one nice ranger in YNP.
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JohnnyG
climber
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Jul 24, 2013 - 02:47pm PT
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What a bummer. Any chance you know their names? I would contact the NPS to make a complaint.
-John
p.s. Cragman- I disagree with you. Hating your job (or parts of it) is no excuse for being an excessive jerk.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Jul 24, 2013 - 02:50pm PT
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Report them. Simple as that.
There is a lot going wrong with the current training of LEO's in this country and it seems to be systemic and coordinated.
Confrontational and bullying seems to be standard procedure. Perhaps some study was done indicating that this provided safety for the LEO and now it's being taught to all the newbies. It's clearly a training issue at this point.
Again I say take the time to report them. Reports go on their record and those records are reviewed. Eventually if enough negative reports compile the officer finds himself in a corrective situation.
Cragman it used to be that these types of incidents were unusual and generally due to burnout. Now it seems to me to be commonplace and due to training. You have any input on changes in training procedure lately?
Lotsa odd training they get. Most people simply have no idea what they are up against when conversing with LEO's.. little tricks and lying are part of the toolbag of the tool. I noticed one after a couple stops in one month where the officers told me my eyes were dialated..huh wth? The second time I heard the same bs out of the LEO's mouth I simply told him .. no they aren't. I was onto their little game.
Folks remember you are always going up against a trained adversary when confronted by LEO's. Be polite and know your rights and politely insist on them.
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RDB
Social climber
wa
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Jul 24, 2013 - 02:57pm PT
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Fook that!
"one must understand that the LEO's do nothing but warn tourons over and Over and OVER again about the dangers...AND...they assist in LOTS of injuries and body recoveries. All of that gets old....and can certainly lead to a rotten attitude."
Ya, if you can't deal with the job and be PROFESSIONAL get a new job.
There is NO excuse acceptable for the attitude in any NPA or by any form of LEO. As in none.
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Norwegian
Trad climber
dancin on the tip of god's middle finger
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Jul 24, 2013 - 02:59pm PT
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i usually just tell them something
absurd and completely off topic,
"hey did you know that a
fresh-slight-fuzzed peach skin
protects its sweet fruit
with about the same tensile capacity
as a hymen protects a virgin cavity?"
they usually are quite taken back,
too removed and suprised to harness anger.
a moment or so of silence,
and then a small lecture ensues.
it's worked for me a few times
with LEO's (a chp came rippin into
my driveway accusing me of hit and run;
a ranger tooled my buddy and i for cutting
the switchbacks on the halfdome walkoff,
and once in the sheriff's car
after i got the shite kicked out of me
by some coked out heads.)
use my advice at your own risk.
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Al_Smith
climber
San Francisco, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 24, 2013 - 03:06pm PT
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Cragman - I'm 99% of the time right there with you. I empathize a great deal with NPS personnel and their need to balance a good visitor experience with keeping people safe in what is for the most part an environment that many visitors are unused to...where there is a lot of dangerous 'hey-we-are-at-Disneyland' behavior. And while it's unclear from my above post, I was very respectful, calm, and polite in my interaction with the Rangers. Even when they escalated the tone of our discussion I maintained perfectly measured speech, used the word 'sir' a number of times, and kept an un-threatening stance.
I have a great deal of respect for LEOs and Rangers. Having grown up in Baltimore city, I came to see LEOs as allies and not people to disrespect or shy away from.
That's why I'm particularly disheartened by this event. It instills an us against them mentality when it really doesn't need to be that way.
If they had approached me - but more importantly, those children - with a sincere conversational tone and briefly pointed out the dangers of jumping off the bridge or using the rope swing, and then climbed up and removed the cord, that would be one thing. There would be a feeling of community. And while the children would have still been disappointed they wouldn't have felt abused or attacked.
I think our Parks are one of the places that best inculcate a sense of community in America's citizens. Making friends in the mountains with people from all over who have different levels of experience in nature while enjoying the shared resource of our protected lands is one of the reasons I keep going back week after week, year after year(that and perfect splitter cracks!) How many people who wouldn't give a stranger the time of day in a city head out to the hills and are quick to strike up conversation with fellow visitors - sharing information, providing directions, pointing out a particularly beautiful view, etc, etc, etc. The actions this weekend that were observed at the El Cap Bridge create an environment of division, fear, disrespect, etc. Such an unnecessary shame...
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Jul 24, 2013 - 03:08pm PT
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The County Sheriff should patrol the parks, and leave the rangers to help the tourists identify trees and sh#t.
There's obviously nowhere near enough actual crime in the parks to warrant a full-time LEO presence, if the rangers have enough spare time to triple-team a kid on a tree swing.
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Jul 24, 2013 - 03:28pm PT
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Tools will be tools. Wait for the interruption to leave, then continue with your swimming.
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kaholatingtong
Trad climber
Nevada City
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Jul 24, 2013 - 03:38pm PT
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i wonder what their reaction would have been to calmly approaching after the whole mess and asking their names. quite unfortunately, i'm the idiot that would have had trouble stopping myself from doing this.
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Joshua Tree
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Jul 24, 2013 - 03:59pm PT
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"Moving on" does nothing to correct the root of the problem.
We have a militarized police mentality that is creeping into all LEO orgs throughout our country, including fed ranger LEOs.
A couple/three years ago I wrote here about an incident I witnessed in the valley...multiple LEO cars driving about 85mph down the loop road, then jumping out with AR15s at the elbow beach turnout, and running around like headless chickens surrounding an empty vehicle while pointing their g@##%mn weapons into oncoming/sitting traffic, i.e. directly at me.
In 35 years of handling and shooting firearms, I've never in my life seen worse muzzle control, or more reckless disregard for bystander safety. And for what? Not a damn thing, a parked, empty car. Something needs to change.
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Jul 24, 2013 - 04:19pm PT
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Probably the only thing you can do is get their names and file a formal complaint with the NPS.
I think that is the least you should do considering the situation.
Yosemite is still considered one of the top places for a job with the NPS and many a ranger live in fear of a "transfer" to such wonderful places as Ellis Island or Tuzigoot National Monument. Public servants are just that and this aggressive as#@&%e attitude that prevails with some rangers is getting out of hand.
Tom Frost told me he got tooled twice in one day in the Valley several years ago. I said they were just looking for an autograph. I would certainly do everything possible to get this type of activity on record and we all know how much the gov't likes to keep records.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Jul 24, 2013 - 04:32pm PT
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No question; I agree with Joe McKeown/Guido.
Al you must file a formal complaint. The phone number (209) 372-0200 with a few sub menus, gets you to law enforcement. You can request that you need to file a formal complaint and get their forms.
One of the addresses to reach the actual Superintendent Don Neubacher is Box 577, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389.
Trouble like this will never end but it will increase and worsen unless we fight back each and every time. Resistance is imperative.
Many many LEOs are right on the edge of being perpetrators themselves.
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Jul 24, 2013 - 04:47pm PT
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I'm with Will, "We have a militarized police mentality that is creeping into all LEO orgs throughout our country, including fed ranger LEOs." the militarization of the rangers has been a bad thing in general.
"I have a great deal of respect for LEOs and Rangers. Having grown up in Baltimore city, I came to see LEOs as allies and not people to disrespect or shy away from.
That's why I'm particularly disheartened by this event. It instills an us against them mentality when it really doesn't need to be that way."
I'm pretty sure I have used those exact words in your 2nd sentance before.
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Jul 24, 2013 - 04:48pm PT
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You can do your job without making little kids feel like turds Norton.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Jul 24, 2013 - 04:53pm PT
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I told my kids that there were no signs on El Cap bridge.
Therefore we all did the jump, multiple times, as in days past.
Can they give you a ticket for not stopping at an intersection if there's no stop sign?
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Jul 24, 2013 - 05:01pm PT
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Dale was a bad boy, but his charm got him out of most situations.
That's for sure, Kevin. Ah, the good old days!
John
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Crump
Social climber
Lakewood, CO
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Jul 24, 2013 - 05:11pm PT
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In the valley I have met both the worst Ranger and the best ranger that I have ever interacted with.
The worst was an argro shemale that used power and authority to compensate for what she lacked... Heard the facts directly from another lady ranger who hated her also...
The best, up in the TMeadows, and he was welcome to hang with us in our camp anytime and became a great friend.
The thing that is tough, besides the job, is that fed power thingie...
The shemale had us in front of a US Magistrate in Federal Court... For yes, inappropriate disregarding signs....
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10b4me
Ice climber
Wishes-He-Was-In-Arizona
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Jul 24, 2013 - 05:27pm PT
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The shemale had us in front of a US Magistrate in Federal Court... For yes, inappropriate disregarding signs....
sounds like the same one who wrote me up for disregarding a "chains required" sign(there wasn't any snow on the road).
she also told me I could fight it before the judge in Yosemite.
This was back in 1994.
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